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橋 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
橋qiáobridge; beam, crosspiecex, 16 strokes, radical 木
qiáo(qiao2) T2
  1. 1bridge; beam, crosspiece
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

橋qiáo(qiao2)

The character 橋 (qiáo) primarily means 'bridge,' referring to a structure built to span a physical obstacle. It can also denote a 'beam' or 'crosspiece' in architectural contexts. This character is commonly used in both literal and metaphorical situations, such as bridging gaps in communication or understanding.

Strokes16Radical木
Cultural Note

Bridges hold significant cultural importance in Chinese society, often symbolizing connection and unity. Famous bridges like the Marco Polo Bridge have historical significance and are celebrated in literature and art.

Memory Tip

Imagine a large, wooden bridge (represented by the radical 木 for wood) stretching over a river. The character's shape looks like a bridge with its two supports, and the pronunciation 'qiáo' can be remembered by thinking of the sound of water flowing underneath it.

Meanings of 橋

qiáo(qiao2)
1bridge; beam, crosspiece
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 橋

橋Simplified
16Strokes
木Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 橋

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Podcast: 橋

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 橋

Quick Contrast

桥 (qiáo) vs 梁 (liáng) — use 桥 for structures spanning obstacles, while 梁 refers specifically to beams in construction.

Usage Notes

When using 橋, be mindful of its formal and informal contexts. It is often used in technical or literary discussions about architecture, but can also appear in everyday conversation. A common mistake is to confuse it with the similar-sounding word 乔 (qiáo), which means 'tall' or 'high.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 橋 is not a specific HSK level word, it connects to HSK Level 3 vocabulary related to travel and navigation. Focus on its usage in phrases related to transportation or infrastructure, such as 'crossing a bridge' (过桥 guò qiáo).

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 橋, confusing it with similar characters. For instance, saying 'qiao' with a flat tone instead of a rising tone can lead to misunderstandings. Always practice the correct intonation to convey the right meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 橋

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Etymology of 橋

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 乔 represents the sound. Simplified form of 橋.

Memory Hint

wood

Semantic (meaning)木
+
Phonetic (sound)喬
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 橋

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 乔 represents the sound. Simplified form of 橋.

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half喬 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywood
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 橋? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 橋?

Decomposition of 橋

IDS Structure⿰木喬
橋Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
喬qiao2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 橋?

How to say bridge; beam, crosspiece in Chinese

“bridge; beam, crosspiece” in Chinese is橋qiáo

The character 橋 (qiáo) primarily means 'bridge,' referring to a structure built to span a physical obstacle. It can also denote a 'beam' or 'crosspiece' in architectural contexts. This character is commonly used in both literal and metaphorical situations, such as bridging gaps in communication or understanding.

When to use 橋

When using 橋, be mindful of its formal and informal contexts. It is often used in technical or literary discussions about architecture, but can also appear in everyday conversation. A common mistake is to confuse it with the similar-sounding word 乔 (qiáo), which means 'tall' or 'high.'

橋 or something close to it

桥 (qiáo) vs 梁 (liáng) — use 桥 for structures spanning obstacles, while 梁 refers specifically to beams in construction.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 橋, confusing it with similar characters. For instance, saying 'qiao' with a flat tone instead of a rising tone can lead to misunderstandings. Always practice the correct intonation to convey the right meaning.

Write 橋

橋

Practice writing 橋 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 橋

Words Containing This Character20
桥qiáobridge橋
大桥Da Qiao, one of the Two Qiaos, according to Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义[Sān​guó​Yǎn​yì], the two great beauties of ancient China大橋
桥梁qiáoliángbridge (lit. and fig.)橋梁
天桥tiānqiáoTianqiao district of Ji'nan city 濟南市|济南市[Jǐ​nán​shì], Shandong天橋
剑桥Cambridge劍橋
立交桥lìjiāoqiáooverpass立交橋
桥头a bridgehead橋頭
吊桥drawbridge吊橋
桥牌contract bridge (card game)橋牌
桥段scene (in a movie etc)橋段
桥墩bridge pier橋墩
桥面roadway橋面
高桥Takahashi (Japanese surname)高橋
虹桥Hongqiao, the name of numerous entities, notably a major airport in Shanghai, and a district in Tianjin虹橋
高架桥viaduct高架橋
独木桥single-log bridge獨木橋
浮桥pontoon bridge浮橋
桥本Hashimoto (Japanese surname and place name)橋本
板桥Banqiao or Panchiao city in Taiwan板橋
虹桥机场Hongqiao Airport (Shanghai)虹橋機場
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 桥 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 橋

You can say '我想去那个桥看看' (Wǒ xiǎng qù nàgè qiáo kàn kàn) meaning 'I want to go see that bridge.'

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